Tasca do Joel — Restaurant in Peniche

Tasca do Joel is a must for anyone visiting in Peniche. It is one of the best restaurants I have ever been to. I’ve visited high end seafood restaurants in France, Italy and Portugal and Tasca do Joel exceeded all! Stand out dishes were the king prawns that were unbelievable and the Portuguese style Tuna. We were so blown away by the food that we ended up saving up on lunch meals in order to go there twice in our three days stay in Peniche.

The best part of the dining experience was the service we received. Our waitress, Lucia, had a passion for food that matched our own and seemed to take real pleasure in advising us the best plates to try. She would check in after each course to see how we enjoyed it and just brought so much passion and enthusiasm to her role. Easily the best waitress we’ve ever encountered. Tasca do Joel, you are lucky to have her in your team!

The prices are expensive but the quality of food and dining experience are priceless and make it well worth saving up on other parts of your trip to go. Make sure to make a reservation as it was busy on both occasions we went! Enjoy and thank you for having us Tasco do Joel, Davide...

We went to this place because it was recommended by the locals. It's absolutely necessary to make a reservation as it’s almost always full. The place is very clean, and the service is quick but not very clear: for example, we asked if a main dish (€25) plus an appetizer would be enough for one person, and we were told yes without any specific details; however, one main dish is more than enough for two people (perhaps two dishes for three if you want to try something else).

The tuna was incredible, the shrimp good, and the fish soup was also good. There are some doubts about the gluten-free options: make sure to inform the waiter of any intolerance to be safe.

Now for the downside: it was supposed to be a place for good fish. The cod, which is their specialty, didn’t meet our expectations. The fish quality was good, but there was too much garlic, the homemade fries were soaked in oil and thus soggy, and the fried cod was full of bones. I ended up discarding the...

World-class experience.

We were served by Sérgio – a true professional. Friendly, fast, attentive, and full of knowledge about the menu. Every dish came with a story, told without fuss or fluff.

To start: grilled cod roe. Bold, rich flavor, expertly prepared. Paired with a chilled Muscatel wine – aromatic, fresh, and a perfect opener.

Main course: grilled sea bass. Crisp on the outside, moist and delicate inside. The best sea bass I’ve ever had. Served with golden, crispy pan-fried potatoes – simple, but flawless. Our son had a steak, perfectly cooked, tender, with rice and fries – no shortcuts, just quality.

The atmosphere: cozy yet refined, elegant without being pretentious. Price-performance ratio? Excellent.

Dessert: the best chocolate cake in the world, rich, intense. The cheesecake was equally impressive – creamy, balanced, not overly sweet.

We’d come back in a heartbeat. And again: Sérgio made it all stand out – impeccable service, genuine...